Foreign job for Asians
Qatar
Living or working in Qatar?
Just Landed helps you manage everyday life. Our Qatar Guide covers topics like visas, housing, jobs and finance. Join the Just Landed Community, get in touch with people like you and share your experiences. Most importantly, have fun!
Visas & Permits
Before leaving to come to Qatar, make sure you understand your legal situation. Depending on your nationality, you might need a visa, residence permit and/or work permit. Read our guide to legal requirements for coming to Qatar or use the Just Landed forums to ask other members for help.
Documentation required to enter Qatar
The movement of foreigners is tightly controlled in Qatar, and issuing of visas and other permits is subject to strict bureaucratic procedures.
Those who are denied access therefore have little opportunity for appeal. Fortunately, the average expatriate doesn’t need to deal with much of the bureaucracy. Most companies and institutions, large or small, have a ‘fixer’, whose job is to wade through the red tape generated by the various ministerial departments in order to obtain work and residence visas for foreign workers and their families. The fixer will also act as your guide whenever your presence is required.
The documents required to enter Qatar include the following:
Note also that any visible connection with Israel, e.g. an Israeli passport or an Israeli entry stamp, will disqualify you from entry.
While you’re in Qatar, you’re required to carry identification documents, e.g. passport or national identity card and appropriate entry and residence visas. Note that it’s common for labour officials to carry out spot checks on businesses in search of workers employed illegally and to inspect passports in the possession of the employer.
This isn’t to suggest that the region’s countries are repressive regimes: expatriates have little to worry about if they conduct themselves in a reasonable way, obey the laws and observe the rules of the culture. Indeed, you will usually be treated with kindness and generosity.
Visas
How to obtain a visa
GCC nationals can enter Qatar freely, as can holders of full status British passports (with rights of abode).
All other nationalities must obtain Qatari sponsorship through a hotel or an individual. It’s necessary to check that the embassy or consulate you choose to approach has the facility to issue visas.
Tourist VisaOnly hotels are able to procure these, and the visa duration corresponds to your length of stay at the hotel. An onward or return ticket is required, along with the usual documents.
Visitor VisaYou can obtain a visitor visa either via a Qatari sponsor or by submitting your documents to the embassy or consulate in your home country. Single journey stays can be up to three months, but stays of over 30 days require a medical.
Business VisaBusiness visas are valid for three months from their date of issue and are for a single visit for a period of one week, with possible extensions up to four weeks. The simplest and quickest route to secure a business visa is for your sponsor to organise one in Qatar.
Work & Residence VisasThe procedure for obtaining work and residence visas is lengthy and complex and is put into motion by your sponsor. A number of formalities must be observed, including a full medical examination (including an HIV test) and the submission of academic and professional qualifications. In many cases, these formalities are dealt with during a visit to Qatar on a visitor or business visa (see above). You might also need to supply original marriage and birth certificates if applying for family status. Residence visas are valid for between one and three years. Multi-entry visas are available in certain circumstances.
Exit VisaThe sponsored individual (i.e. the working member of a family) is required to obtain an exit visa if he has been in the country for 30 days or more. This can be obtained by your sponsor. Families are exempt from this requirement.
Jobs
Finding a job in Qatar isn't easy - especially as foreigner. Our job guide provides information about salaries, contracts and working conditions. Look in the classifieds for positions available and post an ad with your details. Chat with other job-seekers in the forums.
Employment prospects
Qatar allows plenty of foreign workers into its territory, but almost exclusively on a temporary basis.
Expatriates aren’t generally allowed to become part of the permanent population. Foreign workers are dealt with in a fair but controlled way, paid and treated well, and at the end of their time in the region, thanked and rewarded for their efforts. On the other hand, the government is conscious of the need to provide decent jobs with career paths for their own young people, who are increasingly educated and aware of the attractions of the outside world – many attend universities in the USA or UK. Having made major investments in education and social welfare, they hope that eventually Qatar will become almost self-sufficient in terms of labour.
A majority of outside observers, however, believe that expatriates will have a substantial role to play for many years to come, and it seems likely that expatriates will continue to be important for the next two or three decades, although there will undoubtedly be changes in the number of people employed and the type of skills required. For example, the vast construction projects currently found throughout the region (e.g. road systems, airports, ports and trading zones) will become less numerous, with a resulting decline in the number of manual workers required. Commercial development, however, will lead to further building programmes as Qatar’s economy continues to grow. Managerial, professional and particularly technological experience will still be in strong demand for many years to come. But there will be none of the mass immigration and resulting demands for citizenship that have been experienced in western societies, or the current trend of economic refugees looking for a better way of life. Qatar will simply not allow it. Foreigners cannot become citizens or own land and property, although there appears to be some lessening of the restrictions, certainly as regards owning one’s own business.
There are other general issues to consider: you’re contemplating a move to a culture that’s almost certainly different to your own; will the way of life, and particularly the restrictions imposed on you, suit you? Will the relocation benefit your long-term career prospects? Will your family (especially any children) cope with and benefit from the move? What impact will it have on their education and employment prospects? If you aspire to be your own boss, as many people do, be aware that starting a business in the region can prove difficult and that you will almost always be required to have a local partner who has a majority holding. Is that acceptable to you?
The Middle East has been the scene of considerable conflict and unrest in recent decades, although the Gulf states are generally safe places to live and work. However, before travelling anywhere in the Middle East, it’s wise to obtain advice from your country’s foreign office. Note also that homosexuality is regarded as a criminal offence throughout the region.
You should ideally have a firm offer of employment before travelling to Qatar. Speculative visits are occasionally successful, but you need to be notably lucky and have high-grade qualifications and experience to stand any chance. In addition, you will almost certainly need knowledgeable local contacts and have done some research into the types of company which would most value your experience.
QatarQatar has a fast-growing economy, a GDP of around US$9 billion and, like its neighbours, relies heavily on its hydrocarbon resources. The Qatar General Petroleum Corporation (QGPC) is responsible for oil production and exploration, and the Qatari government has full control of oil resources. The country also has the third-largest reserves of liquified gas (LNG) in the world, after the states of the former Soviet Union and Iran. The north gas field is thought to contain the largest individual concentration of natural gas on earth. Qatar has devoted a great deal of investment to these reserves and expects to earn a considerable revenue from them in the future.
In the field of industry and manufacturing, Qatar produces steel, iron, cement, petrochemicals and fertilisers. Unlike most of its neighbours, Qatar exports a major proportion of its steel production. The Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Company (QIMCO) encourages the support of small-to-medium-sized commercial activities in the country. Agriculture and fishing are tiny contributors to the economy and the country relies heavily on food imports.
The Central Bank of Qatar controls monetary policy and regulates the banking system. There are a number of commercial and retail banks doing business in Qatar, including local and foreign owned banks. The Qatar stock exchange is active and has recently been boosted by government privatisation schemes. Foreign companies and joint ventures are subject to variable levels of corporate tax, although those that are wholly foreign-owned are allowed corporate tax ‘holidays’, specifically designed to encourage such businesses. Minority foreign investment is allowed in specified key sectors such as steel and petrochemicals.
Qatar is still seen as a rather secluded country and little is known about it. Therefore, it isn’t widely regarded as a tourist destination. In fact, Qatar has much to offer those seeking rest and recreation, with fine beaches, great watersports facilities, a world-class golf course and many superb, modern hotels in the capital city of Doha. Having seen the success of other Gulf states in this regard, the Qatari government is now beginning to promote the country as a tourist destination. The state of Qatar is rather insular (although it shows support for the USA by allowing that country an airfield on its territory) and displays its individuality by not always toeing the line with the other GCC States. It’s a generally safe country and is quieter than Dubai and Bahrain.
Sponsorship
What is a sponsor?
All foreigners require a local sponsor in order to visit Qatar (whether on holiday or business) or live and work there.
Whereas in the west the word ‘sponsor’ is commonly used of individuals or businesses paying to have their names associated with an artistic or sporting event, in the Gulf it has a quite different meaning: a sponsor acts as a sort of guardian as well as guarantor and must undertake all administrative work (i.e. paperwork) on behalf of the foreigner, including applying for a work and residence visa, opening a bank account and signing a rental accommodation contract. A sponsor can be an individual, a company or an institution. In the case of employees, your employer usually also acts as your sponsor; visitors may be sponsored by a business partner or associate or by the hotel in which they’re staying. Those aiming to do business or set up a business in Qatar should research the local business environment, establish contacts and find an individual or company with a good reputation and experience in the relevant field to act as your sponsor, who will expect remuneration for his services.
The sponsorship system is an effective form of immigration control. As your sponsor is responsible for you and ‘takes the rap’ if you misbehave or contravene any regulations (which will also involve him in loss of ‘face’ in the community), he automatically checks that you’re reliable and trustworthy, as well as ensuring that you don’t inadvertently step out of line. For this reason, your sponsor is an important source of help and advice and a valuable ‘ally’. Note that there is talk of the sponsorship requirement being waived in some states, particularly for foreigners wanting to set up businesses in the free trade zones, but this hadn’t happened at the time of publication.
Recruitment Agencies
How they operate
Recruitment consultants or agents play a major role in the placement of workers in a host of occupations in Qatar.
In view of the distance between Qatar and the countries that supply many of the region’s employees, it’s necessary for agents to act as middlemen. Private recruitment consultants and headhunters in western countries (and particularly in London and New York) deal with most managerial jobs in Qatar, while agencies in India (particularly Bombay), Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Korea, the Philippines (Manila) and Thailand (Bangkok) supply most of the enormous number of manual labourers employed in Qatar’s numerous construction projects.
Agencies tend to specialise in particular areas of work, e.g. medical and nursing staff, computer personnel, accountants, construction managers, executive and office staff, engineering and the technical trades. Agency and consultancy fees are paid by the employer, with no charge to staff. Fees are usually a percentage of the annual salary, ranging from 10 to 20 per cent for most jobs but lower for those with high salaries. Regular customers are often offered preferential rates.
Recruitment agencies in Qatar itself are sometimes used for placing expatriates in temporary work or for expatriate wives wishing to take up local employment. There are numerous regulations controlling the employment of spouses, and separate work visas are needed; the agent handles the details. Local agents are also used if expatriates change jobs. This, however, is uncommon, as expatriates are normally sent to Qatar under contract and job changes are restricted by their employers. You might under certain circumstances be allowed to break your contract, in which case a local agency might be of use. Otherwise, at the conclusion of your contract, a local agency might find you another job.
Government Employment ServiceQatar has no equivalent of the nationally-organised job centres found in western countries, and it’s the responsibility of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Housing to deal with employment (Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Housing, PO Box 201, Doha (Tel. 974-321 955)).
Qatar is trying to balance the need to import foreign labour with the interests of the local population, and companies are strongly encouraged to take on local nationals where possible. This ‘encouragement’ can be quite robust, and the Ministries are able to restrict the number of work visas issued or renewed to a company in order to comply with a quota of local intake.
Working conditions
Salary & Working hours
Salaries in Qatar are usually similar to or greater than those paid in western countries.
But because the region has no personal taxation, net income is usually much greater, which is one of the major attractions of working in Qatar. In the past, remuneration packages were split into various elements: basic salary, car provision or allowance, housing provision or allowance, medical cover, education for children and air tickets for home visits. Today, however, employers tend just to pay a salary, which covers all these expenses, although in some cases there are performance or other bonuses.
In addition to their salary, contract workers are awarded an ‘indemnity’ at the end of the contract period. The indemnity is usually based on basic salary excluding any bonuses. The indemnity can be a significant amount of money if you’ve been working in Qatar for a long time, and many people manage either to accumulate a reasonable financial cushion or to live the high life. If you’re clever and disciplined, you should be able to do some of both. The indemnity has nothing to do with insurance but is an end-of-contract bonus which is required by law to be paid to expatriate workers as a sort of ‘thank-you’ for being of service to the state. (It’s also known as ‘end of service benefits’.) Indemnity scales usually amount to 15 (in some cases 20) days of basic pay per year of employment for the first three years and thereafter a month’s salary per year of employment.
Note that some Arab companies regularly delay the payment of salaries, cash flow problems being passed on to their staff. In this event, you have little alternative but to wait.
Working Hours & OvertimeThe working week in Qatar tends to vary between 40 and 48 hours, depending on the particular company’s policy. Office hours are usually from 8.30 or 9.00 am to 5.30 or 6.00 pm. There are no differences in time keeping between summer and winter. In the month of Ramadan, the working day is reduced to six hours and legally this should apply to all staff, but many companies only apply it to Muslims, who fast during daylight hours.
Friday is the Muslim rest day and, if your company has a five-day working week, the other day off will probably be either Thursday or Saturday. Saturday is the more popular choice for international companies, as taking Thursday off would mean a reduction in the number of operational days in common with much of the rest of the world. Conversely, other companies insist on Thursday, as the school ‘weekend’ is Thursday and Friday.
Before leaving to come to Qatar, make sure you understand your legal situation. Depending on your nationality, you might need a visa, residence permit and/or work permit. Read our guide to legal requirements for coming to Qatar or use the Just Landed forums to ask other members for help.
Documentation required to enter Qatar
The movement of foreigners is tightly controlled in Qatar, and issuing of visas and other permits is subject to strict bureaucratic procedures.
Those who are denied access therefore have little opportunity for appeal. Fortunately, the average expatriate doesn’t need to deal with much of the bureaucracy. Most companies and institutions, large or small, have a ‘fixer’, whose job is to wade through the red tape generated by the various ministerial departments in order to obtain work and residence visas for foreign workers and their families. The fixer will also act as your guide whenever your presence is required.
The documents required to enter Qatar include the following:
- a passport valid for at least six months (it’s useful to have at least three or four photocopies);
- at least six passport-size photographs;
- a marriage certificate (if applicable);
- birth certificates for all family members;
- a medical certificate in the case of workers.
Note also that any visible connection with Israel, e.g. an Israeli passport or an Israeli entry stamp, will disqualify you from entry.
While you’re in Qatar, you’re required to carry identification documents, e.g. passport or national identity card and appropriate entry and residence visas. Note that it’s common for labour officials to carry out spot checks on businesses in search of workers employed illegally and to inspect passports in the possession of the employer.
This isn’t to suggest that the region’s countries are repressive regimes: expatriates have little to worry about if they conduct themselves in a reasonable way, obey the laws and observe the rules of the culture. Indeed, you will usually be treated with kindness and generosity.
Visas
How to obtain a visa
GCC nationals can enter Qatar freely, as can holders of full status British passports (with rights of abode).
All other nationalities must obtain Qatari sponsorship through a hotel or an individual. It’s necessary to check that the embassy or consulate you choose to approach has the facility to issue visas.
Tourist VisaOnly hotels are able to procure these, and the visa duration corresponds to your length of stay at the hotel. An onward or return ticket is required, along with the usual documents.
Visitor VisaYou can obtain a visitor visa either via a Qatari sponsor or by submitting your documents to the embassy or consulate in your home country. Single journey stays can be up to three months, but stays of over 30 days require a medical.
Business VisaBusiness visas are valid for three months from their date of issue and are for a single visit for a period of one week, with possible extensions up to four weeks. The simplest and quickest route to secure a business visa is for your sponsor to organise one in Qatar.
Work & Residence VisasThe procedure for obtaining work and residence visas is lengthy and complex and is put into motion by your sponsor. A number of formalities must be observed, including a full medical examination (including an HIV test) and the submission of academic and professional qualifications. In many cases, these formalities are dealt with during a visit to Qatar on a visitor or business visa (see above). You might also need to supply original marriage and birth certificates if applying for family status. Residence visas are valid for between one and three years. Multi-entry visas are available in certain circumstances.
Exit VisaThe sponsored individual (i.e. the working member of a family) is required to obtain an exit visa if he has been in the country for 30 days or more. This can be obtained by your sponsor. Families are exempt from this requirement.
Jobs
Finding a job in Qatar isn't easy - especially as foreigner. Our job guide provides information about salaries, contracts and working conditions. Look in the classifieds for positions available and post an ad with your details. Chat with other job-seekers in the forums.
Employment prospects
Qatar allows plenty of foreign workers into its territory, but almost exclusively on a temporary basis.
Expatriates aren’t generally allowed to become part of the permanent population. Foreign workers are dealt with in a fair but controlled way, paid and treated well, and at the end of their time in the region, thanked and rewarded for their efforts. On the other hand, the government is conscious of the need to provide decent jobs with career paths for their own young people, who are increasingly educated and aware of the attractions of the outside world – many attend universities in the USA or UK. Having made major investments in education and social welfare, they hope that eventually Qatar will become almost self-sufficient in terms of labour.
A majority of outside observers, however, believe that expatriates will have a substantial role to play for many years to come, and it seems likely that expatriates will continue to be important for the next two or three decades, although there will undoubtedly be changes in the number of people employed and the type of skills required. For example, the vast construction projects currently found throughout the region (e.g. road systems, airports, ports and trading zones) will become less numerous, with a resulting decline in the number of manual workers required. Commercial development, however, will lead to further building programmes as Qatar’s economy continues to grow. Managerial, professional and particularly technological experience will still be in strong demand for many years to come. But there will be none of the mass immigration and resulting demands for citizenship that have been experienced in western societies, or the current trend of economic refugees looking for a better way of life. Qatar will simply not allow it. Foreigners cannot become citizens or own land and property, although there appears to be some lessening of the restrictions, certainly as regards owning one’s own business.
There are other general issues to consider: you’re contemplating a move to a culture that’s almost certainly different to your own; will the way of life, and particularly the restrictions imposed on you, suit you? Will the relocation benefit your long-term career prospects? Will your family (especially any children) cope with and benefit from the move? What impact will it have on their education and employment prospects? If you aspire to be your own boss, as many people do, be aware that starting a business in the region can prove difficult and that you will almost always be required to have a local partner who has a majority holding. Is that acceptable to you?
The Middle East has been the scene of considerable conflict and unrest in recent decades, although the Gulf states are generally safe places to live and work. However, before travelling anywhere in the Middle East, it’s wise to obtain advice from your country’s foreign office. Note also that homosexuality is regarded as a criminal offence throughout the region.
You should ideally have a firm offer of employment before travelling to Qatar. Speculative visits are occasionally successful, but you need to be notably lucky and have high-grade qualifications and experience to stand any chance. In addition, you will almost certainly need knowledgeable local contacts and have done some research into the types of company which would most value your experience.
QatarQatar has a fast-growing economy, a GDP of around US$9 billion and, like its neighbours, relies heavily on its hydrocarbon resources. The Qatar General Petroleum Corporation (QGPC) is responsible for oil production and exploration, and the Qatari government has full control of oil resources. The country also has the third-largest reserves of liquified gas (LNG) in the world, after the states of the former Soviet Union and Iran. The north gas field is thought to contain the largest individual concentration of natural gas on earth. Qatar has devoted a great deal of investment to these reserves and expects to earn a considerable revenue from them in the future.
In the field of industry and manufacturing, Qatar produces steel, iron, cement, petrochemicals and fertilisers. Unlike most of its neighbours, Qatar exports a major proportion of its steel production. The Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Company (QIMCO) encourages the support of small-to-medium-sized commercial activities in the country. Agriculture and fishing are tiny contributors to the economy and the country relies heavily on food imports.
The Central Bank of Qatar controls monetary policy and regulates the banking system. There are a number of commercial and retail banks doing business in Qatar, including local and foreign owned banks. The Qatar stock exchange is active and has recently been boosted by government privatisation schemes. Foreign companies and joint ventures are subject to variable levels of corporate tax, although those that are wholly foreign-owned are allowed corporate tax ‘holidays’, specifically designed to encourage such businesses. Minority foreign investment is allowed in specified key sectors such as steel and petrochemicals.
Qatar is still seen as a rather secluded country and little is known about it. Therefore, it isn’t widely regarded as a tourist destination. In fact, Qatar has much to offer those seeking rest and recreation, with fine beaches, great watersports facilities, a world-class golf course and many superb, modern hotels in the capital city of Doha. Having seen the success of other Gulf states in this regard, the Qatari government is now beginning to promote the country as a tourist destination. The state of Qatar is rather insular (although it shows support for the USA by allowing that country an airfield on its territory) and displays its individuality by not always toeing the line with the other GCC States. It’s a generally safe country and is quieter than Dubai and Bahrain.
Sponsorship
What is a sponsor?
All foreigners require a local sponsor in order to visit Qatar (whether on holiday or business) or live and work there.
Whereas in the west the word ‘sponsor’ is commonly used of individuals or businesses paying to have their names associated with an artistic or sporting event, in the Gulf it has a quite different meaning: a sponsor acts as a sort of guardian as well as guarantor and must undertake all administrative work (i.e. paperwork) on behalf of the foreigner, including applying for a work and residence visa, opening a bank account and signing a rental accommodation contract. A sponsor can be an individual, a company or an institution. In the case of employees, your employer usually also acts as your sponsor; visitors may be sponsored by a business partner or associate or by the hotel in which they’re staying. Those aiming to do business or set up a business in Qatar should research the local business environment, establish contacts and find an individual or company with a good reputation and experience in the relevant field to act as your sponsor, who will expect remuneration for his services.
The sponsorship system is an effective form of immigration control. As your sponsor is responsible for you and ‘takes the rap’ if you misbehave or contravene any regulations (which will also involve him in loss of ‘face’ in the community), he automatically checks that you’re reliable and trustworthy, as well as ensuring that you don’t inadvertently step out of line. For this reason, your sponsor is an important source of help and advice and a valuable ‘ally’. Note that there is talk of the sponsorship requirement being waived in some states, particularly for foreigners wanting to set up businesses in the free trade zones, but this hadn’t happened at the time of publication.
Recruitment Agencies
How they operate
Recruitment consultants or agents play a major role in the placement of workers in a host of occupations in Qatar.
In view of the distance between Qatar and the countries that supply many of the region’s employees, it’s necessary for agents to act as middlemen. Private recruitment consultants and headhunters in western countries (and particularly in London and New York) deal with most managerial jobs in Qatar, while agencies in India (particularly Bombay), Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Korea, the Philippines (Manila) and Thailand (Bangkok) supply most of the enormous number of manual labourers employed in Qatar’s numerous construction projects.
Agencies tend to specialise in particular areas of work, e.g. medical and nursing staff, computer personnel, accountants, construction managers, executive and office staff, engineering and the technical trades. Agency and consultancy fees are paid by the employer, with no charge to staff. Fees are usually a percentage of the annual salary, ranging from 10 to 20 per cent for most jobs but lower for those with high salaries. Regular customers are often offered preferential rates.
Recruitment agencies in Qatar itself are sometimes used for placing expatriates in temporary work or for expatriate wives wishing to take up local employment. There are numerous regulations controlling the employment of spouses, and separate work visas are needed; the agent handles the details. Local agents are also used if expatriates change jobs. This, however, is uncommon, as expatriates are normally sent to Qatar under contract and job changes are restricted by their employers. You might under certain circumstances be allowed to break your contract, in which case a local agency might be of use. Otherwise, at the conclusion of your contract, a local agency might find you another job.
Government Employment ServiceQatar has no equivalent of the nationally-organised job centres found in western countries, and it’s the responsibility of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Housing to deal with employment (Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Housing, PO Box 201, Doha (Tel. 974-321 955)).
Qatar is trying to balance the need to import foreign labour with the interests of the local population, and companies are strongly encouraged to take on local nationals where possible. This ‘encouragement’ can be quite robust, and the Ministries are able to restrict the number of work visas issued or renewed to a company in order to comply with a quota of local intake.
Working conditions
Salary & Working hours
Salaries in Qatar are usually similar to or greater than those paid in western countries.
But because the region has no personal taxation, net income is usually much greater, which is one of the major attractions of working in Qatar. In the past, remuneration packages were split into various elements: basic salary, car provision or allowance, housing provision or allowance, medical cover, education for children and air tickets for home visits. Today, however, employers tend just to pay a salary, which covers all these expenses, although in some cases there are performance or other bonuses.
In addition to their salary, contract workers are awarded an ‘indemnity’ at the end of the contract period. The indemnity is usually based on basic salary excluding any bonuses. The indemnity can be a significant amount of money if you’ve been working in Qatar for a long time, and many people manage either to accumulate a reasonable financial cushion or to live the high life. If you’re clever and disciplined, you should be able to do some of both. The indemnity has nothing to do with insurance but is an end-of-contract bonus which is required by law to be paid to expatriate workers as a sort of ‘thank-you’ for being of service to the state. (It’s also known as ‘end of service benefits’.) Indemnity scales usually amount to 15 (in some cases 20) days of basic pay per year of employment for the first three years and thereafter a month’s salary per year of employment.
Note that some Arab companies regularly delay the payment of salaries, cash flow problems being passed on to their staff. In this event, you have little alternative but to wait.
Working Hours & OvertimeThe working week in Qatar tends to vary between 40 and 48 hours, depending on the particular company’s policy. Office hours are usually from 8.30 or 9.00 am to 5.30 or 6.00 pm. There are no differences in time keeping between summer and winter. In the month of Ramadan, the working day is reduced to six hours and legally this should apply to all staff, but many companies only apply it to Muslims, who fast during daylight hours.
Friday is the Muslim rest day and, if your company has a five-day working week, the other day off will probably be either Thursday or Saturday. Saturday is the more popular choice for international companies, as taking Thursday off would mean a reduction in the number of operational days in common with much of the rest of the world. Conversely, other companies insist on Thursday, as the school ‘weekend’ is Thursday and Friday.
